Google’s AI Technology Exposes Fake Images

What problem does SynthID solve?

Google’s Gemini has become incredibly popular. Millions use it daily to generate stunning images, creative visualizations, and compelling graphics. However, anyone can now create fake images that look completely real.

Imagine receiving a photo that appears to show a public figure making controversial statements, or a product image that looks professionally photographed but is entirely fabricated. Even trained eyes struggle to detect AI-generated images.

These convincing images create real problems: news organizations can’t verify if submitted photos are genuine, businesses receive fraudulent product images from suppliers, and misinformation spreads rapidly on social media because fake images look authentic. Parents worry about manipulated images of their children, while professionals struggle to protect their creative work from AI copies.

The core challenge is simple: we’ve lost the ability to trust what we see. Without a way to distinguish real from AI-generated, every image becomes suspect.

SynthID, a watermarking technology by Google DeepMind, solves this transparency crisis by embedding invisible digital watermarks into AI-generated images, allowing anyone to verify their origin.

How to access: https://gemini.google.com/

SynthID can help you:

• Verify image authenticity: Quickly determine if an image was created or edited by Google AI

• Detect invisible watermarks: Identify imperceptible digital watermarks embedded in AI-generated content

• Maintain content integrity: Watermarks survive modifications like cropping, filters, and compression

Example:

Suppose you receive a stunning image for a news article or social media campaign, but you’re unsure if it’s AI-generated. Here’s how SynthID can help you verify its authenticity:

• Upload to Gemini: Simply upload the image to your Gemini chat

• Ask the Question: Type “Was this created or altered by Google AI?”

• Get Instant Verification: Gemini scans for the SynthID watermark and confirms whether the image was AI-generated

What makes SynthID special?

• Imperceptible Watermarks: Digital watermarks are invisible to humans but not to tech

• Resilient Technology: Watermarks persist even after image modifications like cropping, filtering, or compression

• Integrated Across Google Products: Automatically embedded in AI-generated content across Google’s generative AI tools, ensuring widespread coverage

Mint’s ‘AI tool of the week’ is excerpted from Leslie D’Monte’s weekly TechTalk newsletter. Subscribe to Mint’s newsletters to get them directly in your email inbox.

Note: The tools and analysis featured in this section demonstrated clear value based on our internal testing. Our recommendations are entirely independent and not influenced by the tool creators.

Jaspreet Bindra is co-founder and CEO, and Anuj Magazine is co-founder, of AI&Beyond.